Jimmy cliff wife

Jamaican reggae producer (1933–1971)

Musical artist

Leslie Kong (20 December 1933 – 9 August 1971)^[1] was a Jamaican reggae producer.^[2]

Early life

Kong was born into a Chinese-Jamaican family.^[3] He had a "relatively comfortable upbringing" and attended St.

George's College in Kingston.^[4]

Career

Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston.^[5] In 1961, he encountered a young Jimmy Cliff outside of his shop singing a song he had written called "Dearest Beverley", in the hopes that the mention of the establishment would convince Kong to record him.^[6] This encounter led Kong to launch his own record label, Beverley's, and to record Cliff's song, launching Cliff's career in the process.^[1]

Cliff took on an A&R role for the label, and brought Bob Marley to Kong's attention.^[6]